Eat what you want, but don't forget plenty of greens

Eat what you want, but don’t forget plenty of greens (Photo: iStock)

There are many types of diets, but they generally fall into three main categories: vegetarian, vegan, and omnivore. A vegetarian diet excludes meat but may include dairy products and eggs. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including dairy, eggs, and even honey. Omnivores eat both plant and animal-based foods in varying proportions. However, there are numerous hybrid diets, such as flexitarian, paleo, and more.

The key question is whether any specific diet is superior for health, or whether it truly doesn’t matter. Recent data seems to guide us closer to the right answer. More plant-based foods and fewer animal-based foods generally lead to better health outcomes, regardless of whether you are primarily vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore. In other words, it matters less what type of diet you follow, as long as you are consuming more plants and fewer animal products.

What you eat directly affects your gut health and the composition of microbes within it. The gut microbiome increasingly plays a significant role in overall health. Unfavourable gut microbiomes have been linked to cardiometabolic diseases, gut inflammation, neurological conditions, and certain types of cancer. The interaction between gut microbiota, immune mechanisms, and the occurrence of disease is now well established.

People who eat more plant-based foods tend to have a more favourable microbiome composition, leading to better health. The microbes found in vegans, for instance, appear to correlate with more favourable cardiometabolic markers. But such beneficial microbes are also found in omnivores who deliberately consume more plant-based foods. Science suggests that it is the diversity of healthy plant-based foods that matters, rather than focusing solely on the type of diet you follow.

The debate about the superiority or inferiority of specific diets is unlikely to fade soon. People should have the freedom to eat as they choose, but only those who ignore the scientific link between dietary habits and health are being misinformed. If you are vegan, you may have an enviable gut microbiota, but be cautious of avoiding certain food types, such as fermented dairy, as this could reduce the beneficial probiotic microbes that play a role in combating infections.

For omnivores, you don’t necessarily need to become a flexitarian to be healthier. What’s important is consuming more plant-based foods and incorporating a broad variety into your diet. This will likely improve your microbiota and have a positive impact on your long-term health.

As with overall health, diet is only one part of the equation. Good dietary habits can only take you so far if other aspects of your lifestyle are unhealthy.

Dr Murage is a Consultant Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist.